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Scheduling staff members

OVERVIEW OF THE SOP VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS

 Purpose:

Scheduling staff is important for several reasons.

  1. First and foremost, it ensures that there are enough caregivers present at all times to provide proper care and supervision to the children.
  2. A well-structured schedule can also help in managing costs by optimizing staff hours and avoiding over or under-staffing.
  3. In addition, proper scheduling can also improve staff morale and job satisfaction. When employees have a clear understanding of their work schedule and responsibilities, they are more likely to feel valued and motivated in their role.

  Scope:

This is a SOP for center Directors

  Considerations

When creating a schedule for a childcare center, there are several factors that need to be taken into consideration.

  • Effective payroll management is determined by dividing your total income by 50%. Use this number as a reference to see if you need to adjust yours schedules. Start up centers have higher percentages until they reach break even.
  • When you can see each child’s scheduled arrival and pick-up time, you can schedule your staff around the specific needs of the center.  These include the number of children enrolled, their ages and individual needs, staff availability and qualifications, as well as any state regulations or licensing requirements.
  • It’s important to also consider the needs of the staff when creating a schedule. This includes their availability, preferences for certain shifts or days off, and their own personal responsibilities outside of work

  Set Your Team And Yourself Up For Success Strategies:

To ensure an efficient and effective schedule, there are several strategies that can be implemented.

  1. Watch For Signs That Staff May Be Getting Overworked When your employees are happy in their roles, they’ll fully embrace your vision and provide better care to the children they’re hired to teach and care for. Happy staff = happy kids!

  2. Make Room for Communication: Encourage Teamwork!
  3. Qualified and trained assistant director should open and close the center.
  4. Have just enough backup resources to cover lunch breaks and possible sick days
  5. On-call substitute teachers who can be at your center within short notice
  6. A copy of this form can be kept by the Director/Owner with the current staff and staff assignments. A “working” daily copy of this document can be kept in each classroom/ staff room setting where times and staff can be changed/revised as needs arise.
  7. Develop a contingency plan for staff absences.
  8. One is to have a mix of full-time and part-time staff, as this allows for more flexibility in scheduling and can help with managing costs
  • It’s also important to consider peak hours and busy times at the center when creating a schedule. This may require having more staff on hand during certain hours or days, while adjusting staffing levels during slower periods.
  • Effective communication is essential when it comes to scheduling staff in a childcare center. This includes regularly updating the schedule and promptly addressing any changes or conflicts that may arise.

  Responsibilities:

Assistant Director Support team

Position Work hours Breaks
Reception Assistant director/ Enrichment Specialist 7 to 4 Cover each other
Reception AD/ Afterschool support 9 to 6
Floater 9 to 6 Cover teacher sick days
Floaters 8 to 5

Infant team:  Includes 4 FULL time teachers

Classroom Assignment Position Number of children Work Hours
Breaks
Infants Lead
12
7-3
Infants Assistant teacher
12
8 to 5
 12-1
Infants Assistant teacher
12
9 to 6
 1-2
Infants Lunch Breaks/ closer
12
9 to 6
 Breaks 12-2
Closer: 3-6

Opening Toddler Notes: Open one Toddler classroom at 7 am. Toddlers arriving at the school from 7 am to 7:30 are greeted by the teacher in the opening room. The second teacher arrives at 7:30 am and opens the second classroom. The children in her age group transition to their classroom.

Closing toddler notes: As children in the group of toddler classrooms go home, the group transitions to One classroom to allow teachers to clean the room for the next day.

The teacher in Toddler room 2 arrives at 7:30 and transfer the children

Toddler 1 Includes 4 FULL time teachers

A team of 4 Full time teachers

Classroom Assignment Position Number of Children Work hours Breaks
Toddler Lead 18 7 to 3
Toddler AT 8 to 5 12-1
Toddler AT 9 to 6 1-2
Toddler Support Lunch break/ closer 9 to 6 Lunch 12-2

Toddler 2  Includes 3 FULL time teachers and one support staff and one part time staff member assigned for that age group.

 Classroom Assignment Position Number of children Work Hours Breaks
Toddler Lead 7:30- 4:30 18 7:30 to 4:30
Toddler AT 8 to 5 8:30 to 5:30
Toddler AT 2 9 to 6 9 to 6
Toddler Support Part Time
11-2		 Covers 3 breaks from 11-2

2 Year Old’ team: 6 teachers

The 2 year old team is opens at 7 am with a lead teacher in the first classroom. A second teacher in the 2 year old team arrives at 7:30 and transitions children to a second classroom that opens at that time

Closing 2 year old notes: As children in the group of groups go home, the group transitions to One classroom to allow teachers to clean the room for the next day

Classroom Position Number of children Work Hours Breaks
2 Year old Room 1 Lead From 10-20 children 7 to 4 Cover each other
2 year old room 1 AT 8 to 5
2 Year old room 2 Lead 10-20 Children 8 to 5
2 Year old Room 2 AT 7:30- 4:30
2 year old room 3 Lead 10-20 Children 8:30 to 5:30
2 Year Old room 3 AT 9 to 6

Notes about the 3 year old team: A lead teacher from the 3 year old group opens one classroom at 7:30. A second teacher arrives at 8:30 to open the second classroom.

3 year old classrooms

Classroom Position Number of Children Work Hours Breaks
3 Year Old 1 Lead 1-12 7:30 to 4:30 Cover Each other
3 Year old 1 (AT) Assistant After 13th child enrolls 8:30 to 5:30
3 year old 2 Lead Teacher 8:30 to 5:30
3 year old Class 2 AT After the 13th child enrolls 9 to 6

4 Year Old Classroom and after schoolers

Classrooms open at 8 am

Classroom Position Number of children Work Hours Breaks
4 Year old Classroom Lead 1-10 7 to 3
Assistant 11-20
Lead 1-10 9 to 6 Cover each other
Assistant 11-20 8 to 5

  Procedure:

  1. The first step is to count the children at different times to build the schedule around the needs of the center. Use your daily children count sheet.
  2. Determine the number of staff members you need for the number of children enrolled
  3. Complete the staff schedule worksheet on Google Sheets
  4. Ensure that all staff members have
  5. Staff members that are not reliable or with many absences should not be added into the schedule. They can remain as floaters or support staff.
  6. Post the complete staff schedule to staff member to use a a reference

   Additional Resources: